Store-service apparatus



(No Model.) 4 sheets'she et 1.

J. T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVIGE APPARATUS.

N0: 62,584. PatentedJune 23, 1896.

l! N I? g 4Sheets-8heet 2. J. T. COWLEY. A STORE sEEvIcE APPARATUS. I

Patented June 23,1896] (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. T.00WLEY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 562,584. 1 ,PatentedJune 23, 18961 M A {@A2 N STORE SERVICEAPPARATUS.

Patented June 23, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JAMES T. COWLEY, OF LOWVELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSONCONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE MASSACHUSETTS.

COMPANY, or BOSTON,

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 562,584, dated June 23,1896.

Application fil d October 17, 1394.

. full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to certain iinprovements in that class ofapparatus which is employed in stores for conveying cash or parcels fromthe salesman to the cashier and returnin g the same to the salesman, andespecially.

to that class of cash-carriers in which thereis provided a travelingcable to which the cash boxes are attached and from which they aredetached, by suitable devices. In such device one part of said endlesscord is usedfor conveying cash-boxes to the cashiers desk from thesalesmens stations, and the other part to return said boxes to therespective salesmens stations. 1

One object of my invention is to provide a cash-carrier with such acable-gripping device that it is immaterial which end of thecash-carrier is in front, as by the arrange ment I have provided thegrip will be actuated to grip the cord and afterward actuated to bereleased from the cable-cord without regard to which end of the box isin front.

Another object of this invention is to sim-. plify the construction ofsuch class of devices and produce a machine not only more efficient thanthe present device in use, but at the same time much less expensive inconstruction. These and other objects are carried out by theconstruction of apparatus here- 1 inafter shown, described, andparticularly specified in the claims. 1

My invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements, andcombinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims. F

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 isa side view of.

Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an end view at the cashiersstation. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line a a, Fig. 1. Fig.5is a cross-section on the line b b, Fig. 1.

Serial No. 526,159. (No model.)

Fig. 6 is a side elevation looking from the line 0 c, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 isa plan view of that part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is across-section through the tracks on the line (2 d, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is across-section through the tracks on the line 6 e, Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is aside view of the apparatus, taken in the "vicinity of the salesmansstation. Fig. 11 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 12 is an enlargeddetail perspective of the switching device at a salesmans station. Fig.13 is a side view of the take-up device for taking up the slack of thecable. Fig. 1a is a plan View of the same. Fig. 15 is a plan view of thebottom of the cash-box. Fig. 16 is an end view of the cash-box turned onone side. Fig. 17is a side view of the cash-box. Fig. 18 is a bottomView of the box with the central bottom plate removed. Fig. 19 is across-section through the boX on the line a: 00, Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is abottom View of the cash-boX with the bottom plate and gripping-platesremoved. and 22', respectively, represent a plan and a side elevation ofone of the gripping-plates. Fig. 23 represents a top View of thecash-box.

'Fig. 24 represents a detail view of the improved latch mechanism forholding the top closed. Fig. 25 is a plan view of the bottom of thecash-box with the bottom plate removed and showing the position of theparts when the box is gripped to the cable.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughoutthe severalviews. I

On the top of the cashiers desk A there is fixed a vertical standard A,in which are journaled, one above the other, two pulleys A and A out ofvertical alinement, and the cable B passes down around the pulleyA to asuitable driving mechanism, and up over the pulley A and in normalposition lies below the line I of the tracks C E, and travels in thedirection indicated by the arrows. This cable extends past the salesmensstations to the end of the line and around a pulley B mounted on acarriage 13 provided with four lugs 13, which fit around the rods B andare adapted to move thereon. The rods B are secured at their inner endsto a frame B, secured to the-upper and lower tracks, and are supportedby said frame. To oneend of said carriage there is secured a cordB whichpasses around a pulley B journaled in the frame B mounted on and Figs.21

securely fixed to the rods B This cord passes around the pulley B and issecured to the inner end of a suitable spring B, the opposite end ofwhich is attached to a bracket or any desirable part of the apparatus.The tension of this spring tends to draw the carriage 13 salesmensstations to the cashier, are one above the other, and are eachconstructed of two right-angle metal pieces which are ar rangedoppositeand parallel to each other. The bracketsD, D, D D D ,'D D D andD are-secured to the two tracks and support thesame insuitable relativeposition.

The-cable normally lies below the tracks in the bottom recess in each ofthe brackets, asshown in Figs-4 and 5, except at a corner where itpasses around the pulleys B, suitably journaled in-a substantiallyright-angle arm Dfito-which the brackets D D ,.and D are also secured,the u'pperand-lower tracks at the corners being cutaway at E as shown inFigs. G and 9,- so that the cable may engage with the grooves of thepulleys B.

The tracks 0 andE at the cashiers station are respectively cut away, asshown inFig. 2, to permit the insertion of the carrier in the trackat O,and to permit its removal at E by the. cashier.

'The cash-box F isprovided with a top F, secured" fast to a shaft Faround which the spring F is wound, and at one end bears against. theside of the box, and the other end F bears against the under side of thecover, sov that the. tendency is to throw the cover up and. exposev theinside of the-box. latch at its lower end is secured to the frontsidevof the box at F, and its outward movement is controlled by a clip'FN ear its upper end thesaidspring-latch is cut inward on.

each side to form recess F The cover F has two recesses F and I beyondthese recesses there is a reentering recess F As the cover is pusheddown against the top F of the latch, the recesses F bear against saidpartand press it outward until said recesses come in line withtherecesses F when that part of the metal beyond the recesses F catchesunder the recesses F and holds the cover locked. When it is desiredtoopen the cover,'the latch F is -.said fiberthere is. a button ofhard-rubber fiber- G,.provided-with .a suitable sleeve of hard-rubberfiber and a screw G secures said button tothe fiberand the fiber to thebottom .of the box, and holds the same in fixed posi- A spring tion..Below the plate G thegrippin g devices for gripping the box to thecable are located. 011 a central pin J, projecting from the bottom ofthe box, a cam-plate J is mounted, and moves on said pin as a center. Oneach side of the pin J there are located the cam-slots J 2 J and beyondsaid cam-slots there project the fingers J 4 and J 5 on the left andright respectively. In one side of the periphery of the cam-plate thereis an angular cut J in which the spring J secured in one of thehard-rubber blocks G bears and holds said cam-plate in the positionshown in Figs. 15, 18, 19, and20. This spring, while it permits amovement of the fingers J and J under pressure, in a direction indicatedby the arrows, returns said fingers to the normal position shown inFig.-20 as soon as thepressure is removed. Above said cam-plate thereare located two gripping-plates H and H, provided, respectively, with upwardly-projectin g fingers H H between which the cable is adapted to'becaught and theboxesgripped to-said'cable. From the under side of saidplates H and H there project downwardly two pins H and H the pin Hpassing into the cam-slot J 'and the pin H passing into the cam-slot-Jand in the normal position of the parts the pins H and H rest insaidslots in the position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 20. Theremaining rounded portion of the slot permits the said fingers J 4 and J5 to move, under pressure, a distance limited by the pins K and K and assoon as the pressure is re- .moved the/spring J slips back into theangular recess J 6 and returns said plate to the position-shown in Fig.20.

hen the box is gripped to the cord, the position of the parts is asshown in Fig. 25, and the limit of movement of the fingers J .andJ isdetermined, respectively, by the pins K and K but in this position thepins H andH are respectively at the end of the straight portions of theslots J 2 and J The cam-plate J and the gripping plates H and H are helddown in place bythe screws G, which pass in through the plate and intothe pins K, K, K ,'and K and by means of this plate all the-parts areheld in their proper positions.

The construction of the slots J 2 and J from an inspection of thedrawings, will show that as the-fingers J 4 and. J are moved in adirection indicated by the arrows b the pins H and H are drawn nearer tothe center pin J and consequently the plates H and Il,-with thefingers'H and H are drawn together, and in this manner the said.gripping-fingers H and H close on. the cable B until the box is releasedtherefrom.

The first movement of the cam plate J and gripping-plates H and H" is tocause the fingers H and H to close up quickly on the cord, and the shapeof the cam-slot is such as to. give a slowandpowerful movement to thejaws, which close tightly on the cord.

The grips remain in this position until the finger J 4 or J 5 strikes anobstruction, which reverses the position shown in Fig. 25, and bringsthe pins H and H back in position shown in Fig. 20.

The space left between the normal position sides of the box to contactwith the engaging or disengaging devices, and this movement, as abovestated, is caused by the spring J returning into the angular cut J 6 assoon as the pressure is removed from the cam-plate. Supposing a box tohave been sent to the cashier, he makes the necessary change and placesthe box on the track through the opening 0, which permits the buttons Gto pass below the top side of the tracks and under the under side of thetop of the tracks, so that the upper parts of the track are on,

each side and above the button G and below the hard-rubber fiber G asshown in Figs. 8 and 10, and in this manner the carrier rests on the topof the tracks, and is carried along by the cable when it is grippedthereto. A slight push by the cashier to the cash-box moves it until thefinger in advance, namely J strikes the spring-plate L, secured at L tothe bracket L secured to each side of the track 0. This spring-plate Loiters such an obstruction to the finger J 5 that it is moved from theposition shown to the left of said,

bracket L to that shown to the right of said bracket L inFig. 2. ger inthis direction causes the bringing together of the fingers H and 11against the cable 13, to which the said box is then clamped, and it isdrawn along said track 0 by the cable until it reaches the salesmansstation to which it belongs. l

In the present instance I have shown a salesin ans station nearest thecashier, and shown the box constructed with diverting-flanges '1,arranged to be switched at this station. For all stations beyond thefirst one it will be understood that the cash-boxes are provided withdiverting-flanges arranged lower down 011 the sides of the box to agreewith the location of the diverting-plates at each station, which platesgradually lower from the first to the last, the same relatively as'thediverting-flanges lower on the sides of the cash-box.

As the box approaches the first salesmans station, (shown in thedrawings, Fig. 10,) the diverting-plates N, forming a branch track, passin between the top and bottom of the diverting-flanges M. A spring-plateM is se-; cured at one end to one end of one of the divertin g-plates N,and at the other end pivotally secured to a vertical arm M which in turnis The moving of the finpivotally connected to a crossarm M pivoted at Mat the top of the bracket D At the far end of the cross-arm M there is avertical de-' pending arm M to the lower end of which is secured at Mthe disengaging spring-plate M which normally is below the line offingers J 4 and J of the cash-box, but when a cash-box approaches astation to which it belongs the diverting-flanges M en gagewith thedivertingplates N and pass up on said spring-plate lV which pulls downthe cross-arm M and pulls up the vertical arm M so as to raise up thedisengaging spring-plate M in position to move the finger J 4 backwardfrom the position shown in left hand, Fig. 11, to that shown in righthand of Fig. 12. This movement given to the finger J 4 throws thegripping-plates H and H from the position shown in Fig. 25 to that shownin Fig 18, and the cam-plate is then in position shown in Fig. 20, sothat the gripping-fingers H and H are away from the cable B,and thecash-boxF, supported by the diverting-plates N,which gradually riseupward, as shown in Fig. 10, is lifted up out of the track 0 through theopening 0 which leaves a clear opening for the buttons at each end ofthebox, which are normally in the travel of the carrier held beneath thetop flanges of the track,

and the momentum given to the carrier by the cable before it leaves thesame carries the box to the end of the diverting-plates N, where it isremoved by simply pulling it off from the plates. a

If a carrier does not belong to the first station,the diverting-flangeon the side of the box will not engage with the diverting-plates N, andconsequently not pull out the spring-plate M to cause the ungripping ofthe cord, but the box will pass on along the track 0 to a station atwhich it belongs, where the operation carried out is identical with thatpreviously described for the cash-box belonging to the first station, asshown in the drawings of this application. a i 7 Now, supposing that thesalesman at the first station desires to send money to the cashier, hecloses the cover of the box and places the box on the track where thelower track E is cut away, as shown at E Fig. 11,

which is similar in construction as the recesses O, E, and C and permitsthe hardrubber-fiber button G to pass below the top of the track, andwhen the box is pushed along, the top flanges of the track are betweenthe buttons G and the hard rubber fiber G as when the box was sentfromthe cashier. A slight push given to the box moves it toward thestandard D to which is secured the engaging spring-plate N, secured at Nto the bracket D and similar in construction to the spring-plate L.(Shown in Fig. 2.) This spring-plate, while slightly yielding, the sameas the other spring-plates, to the fingers of the cam-plate, movesthefinger J 4 backward from the position shown in Figs. 15, 18, v and 20to that'shown in Fig. 25, and causes Fig. 2,) from which the box can beremoved bythe cashier.

In either the normal or the locked position ofthe gripping devices thereis always one finger forward, and it is immaterial which end of the boxis put in, as when the grip- ,pingdevices arein their open positionlthefinger ahead contacts with theengaging de vice to cause the gripping ofthe box to the, cable, and-when the box approachesadisengaging devicethe finger ahead disengages the gripping device.

An-inspection of Figs. 18, 20, and 25 will at once suggestthat itis.immaterial which end of the box is ahead, as in either case there is onefinger in advance to contact with the engaging or disengaging deviceswithout,

I regard to which end of the box is put in. first.

In Fig. 20 the grips are shown as in an open. position with the pins Hand H engaging or; working in the slots of the plate J, while in; Fig.25 the grips are shown in a closed position with the cam-.slotsin theplate J in a different position from that shown in Fig.'2.0.

' WVhen the plate J is movedto the position. shown in Fig.j2 5, themovement of the pins in the cam-slots draws in the grips soas to closethe same on the cord, and the cam-slots are so formed that any outwardpressure on the grip-finger or side pressure thereon will not tend toopen thennas they are firmly held in a closed position by the said slotsin the; plate J. The object of this grip. is to clamp; the cable tightlyby the fingers with the least! possible resistance to the engagingfingers;

and the movement of v the fingers is quick up;

tothe time of contact with the cord and then? the grip of thefingers onthe cable is-slow and powerful in order to grip the cord tightly.fTheshape of the camslots is such as to pro- 1 duce this movement,because it runs quickly;

toward the center at the first movementandjv it closes in quickly, andthen the shape is changedand produces a slow movement into, the center,that is the distance of the camslot gradually decreases toward thecenteri and this produces a slow. movement.

In carrier apparatuses of the ,kind dei scribed in this application itis usual ,to em-. ploysprings to hold the grip closed or to hold thegrip open, or to both hold the grip open and to'hold it closed by meansof suitable mechanical devices in connection with the spring; but in.the grip shown in this application it will be understood that no springswhatever are employed, and the grip is a positive mechanical one whencompared with the springs common in this class of devices.

So far as I am aware at the present time, there has never been inpractice a cash-box having'a positive lock-ing movement, but in allcases springs have been used to hold the grips in certain positions,either closed or open.

I do not limit. myself to the exact arrangement and construction shown,as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

:l-Iaving thus ascertained the nature and set forth the construction ofmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatentof theUnited States, is-

1. In a cable cash-carrier apparatus, the combination of a track and apropelling-cable,

with cash-boxes moving on. said track, each provided with a grippingdevice consisting of twomembers between which the cable is gripped,mechanism for moving said members to and-from one another, and yieldingdevices foractuatingsaid mechanism to move said members.

2. In a cable cash-carrier apparatus, the combination of a trackand apropel lin -cable, with'cash-boxes moving on said track, each provided.with a gripping device consisting of a camplate having extended fingers,gripping-plates having-pins working in slots of said cam-plate, anddevices with which said fingers contactadapted to actuate said plate to;grip or release the box from the cable.

3. In a cable cash-carrier apparatus,-the combination of-a main track, apropellingcable,; a branch track leading from the main track, cash-boxessupported and moving on- .said main track and each having flangesadapted to engage with the branch track and support. said cash-boxesthereon, a gripping device forattaching said box to thepropelling-cable, and a releasing device adapted to be moved intoposition to actuate the gripping device of the box Whose flanges engagethe branch track so as to-release the cable from the grip.

4. In a cable cash-carrier apparatus,.the combination of a main track, apropellingcable, a branch track leading from the main track, cash-boxessupported and moving on said main trackand having flanges adapted ,toengage, the branchtrack andsupport said boxes thereon, a gripping devicefor attaching said boxes to the propelling-cable, and a device adaptedto be thrown into position to .open the grip of the carrier by which itis actuated and thereby release the cable from the said grip.

In testimony whereof I n have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 12th day of October,1894.

JAMES T. COWLEY. Witnesses:

SAML. E. KIMBALL, ETTA COURTNEY.

IIO

